MNN - Mother Nature Network

Wayne Pacelle was promoted to CEO, HSUS got failing grades from all three charity watchdogs. Starting in 2005, Pacelle used every legal loophole to lowball official fundraising costs, shifting tens of millions in direct mail expenses to "charitable services". Many crooked charities do this. For example, sending out millions of unsolicited "gifts" - coffee mugs, umbrellas and watches - and follow up (guilt inducing) notes - to millions of prospective donors was classified as public education. HSUS also broke the law by completely failing to report additional millions in fundraising costs. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance found out about these practices in 2008 and ordered HSUS to stop cooking the books or fail the BBB annual report. HSUS's somewhat more honest 2008 tax returns, filed in 2009, led to a downgrade to one star out of four for fundraising efficiency from Charity Navigator and an overall "D" grade from the far more respected American Institute of Philanthropy. It is true that Charity Navigator, which foolishly bases half of its grade on financial health/wealth, gave HSUS four stars during Pacelle's Enron-style accounting years. Charity Navigator is aware of your organization's - and several other of its 3 and 4 star charities' deceptive/iillegal practices - and is finally refining its methodology. For a recent example of how low the damage control staff at HSUS will go to mislead the public, google Guidestar and search "Humane Society of the United States". Until recently, the public comments section was filled with dozens of 1 out of 5 star reviews and negative comments about the organization's lying ways. Until last month, the average review was 1 and three quarters stars, with many people lamenting that they couldn't award it zero stars. In mid-July, over twenty glowing 5 star reviews suddenly appeared, almost all on July 17 or 19. Every one came from HSUS staffers and go-to sock puppets. (Even after this scheme, the average rating is under three stars.) Anyone with an IQ over 80 could see what the usual suspects - Sarah, Hillary, angry John Dopp, Lisa Katz, and the rest of the paid drones were up to. And Guidestar was informed of it. 3. HSUS TO THE "RESCUE" It is true that HSUS shows up at raids, disasters and large scale cruelty cases to help with temporary sheltering, transport and other short-term, low-cost assistance. Of course, they film every minute for maximum media coverage, while stealing credit in their press releases and Annual (PR) Report for the lion's share of the work. Of course, they promptly beg for "desperately needed" funds to offset the costs incurred instead of quietly putting their huge bank accounts to work. Regular mini-Katrina cash infusions. Every animal impacted in any way in these cases is added to both their total rescues for the year AND the number of animals HSUS "provides direct care to." Also included in the latter direct care statistic are tens of thousands of animals sterilized - by others, at their own costs - during the annual Spay Day event. In 2006, the HSUS took over the promotion of the project from its creators at the Doris Day Animal League and turned it into another moneymaking, image-polishing scheme. Their volunteer vet program is worthy, but it is another outside, (California-based), low-budget program HSUS took over less than a decade ago and uses as a cash cow. HSUS provides meaningful direct care (care lasting more than a few hours) to a few thousand animals, not the 70,000 claimed. Creative accounting of needy and victimized animals. Classy. Hillary Twining, I would like you to name the "several shelters" you worked in before you turned spin doctor. I would like to verify that you were really employed in at least one. I look forward to your response.